1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to fiber-forming melt-spinnable aromatic polyesters and to filaments thereof having high tenacity and high modulus.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Aromatic polyesters capable of forming anisotropic melts and containing units derived from both chlorohydroquinone or methylhydroquinone and terephthalic acid have been disclosed in prior art patents U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,118,372; 4,075,262; 3,991,014; 4,066,620; 3,991,013; 4,146,702 and 4,156,070. In these polyesters, other monomers are present in addition to those mentioned above. For example, in U.S. Pat. No. 4,118,372 a portion of the terephthalic acid is replaced by 2,6-naphthalenedicarboxylic acid, however, polyesters with potential for making filaments having high tenacity and modulus require relatively high modification with the expensive 2,6-naphthalenedicarboxylic acid monomer. In U.S. Pat. No. 4,146,702, 3-hydroxybenzoic acid is added. U.S. Pat. No. 3,778,410 suggests hydroxyaromatic carboxylic acids as useful components in polyesters from ethylene glycol and terephthalic acid. 6-Hydroxy-2-naphthoic acid is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,161,470 as a comonomer with 4-hydroxybenzoic acid.
Chlorohydroquinone and terephthalic acid are relatively inexpensive ingredients, however, polyesters formed entirely from repeat units of these two materials are not melt processable into filaments. Even the addition of 4-hydroxybenzoic acid in small amounts as a comonomer does not result in a polyester that can be melt spun into filaments without degradation.
It has now been found that small amounts of 6-hydroxy-2-naphthoic acid bring the melting point of chlorohydroquinone- or methylhydroquinoneterephthalic acid polyesters into a range suitable for melt spinning and promote homogeneity, thereby making the melts of these polyesters more amenable to processing. Moreover, the filaments from these new polyesters exhibit high modulus as-spun and high tenacity upon heat treatment.